BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 9. Karabakh has
significant potential for the development of Azerbaijan’s tourism
industry, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), Florian
Sengstschmid said, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.


Sengstschmid made the statement at the event “Unlocking
Tourism's Potential to Drive Economic Growth and
Diversification.”


According to him, regional development remains one of the key
priorities of state policy in the tourism sector and is reflected
in the new State Program, which is currently in its final stages of
development.


“Tourism is a cross-sectoral field and requires a comprehensive
approach. When we talk about tourism, we are talking about roads,
electricity supply, and all the necessary infrastructure that must
be put in place before a tourist can receive quality service and
enjoy a memorable travel experience. The new State Program aims to
unite the efforts of various government agencies to develop the
tourism industry, primarily in the regions. Azerbaijan’s tourism
industry employs about 178,000 people, 73% of whom work in the
country’s regions. “Three-quarters of those employed in tourism
work specifically in the regions,” Sengstschmid emphasized.


In his words, tourist destinations in the regions are at
different stages of development.


"Winter tourist resorts are more established destinations; a
major project to develop Gabala as a tourist destination, involving
small businesses, is currently underway, while Naftalan needs to
update its strategic approach and diversify its target markets. I
would also like to highlight Karabakh as a region with great
potential for future tourism development,” Sengstschmid said.







Furthermore, he emphasized that improving transportation
accessibility, including “last-mile” infrastructure, and refining
government support mechanisms remain top priorities.


“These issues are included in the new State Program, which is
expected to be implemented over the next four years with the
participation of government agencies and the private sector,” he
added.


Speaking about the structure of inbound tourism, Sengstschmid
noted that for Azerbaijan, given its geographical location and
proximity to major markets, the concentration of tourist flows is
natural.


In addition, Sengstschmid emphasized that there remains
potential for further growth in tourist flows from neighboring
countries.